49 replies to this topic

[Neilos]

My car failed to start one night after i drove to my mates house. I simply turned the ignition, all myu lights..etc came on as usual but the starter motor didnt even attempt to turn. Tried this a few times so called the RAC out.

When the RAC arrived he checked my spark plugs and distributer and said it was all tight. I then tried to start the car and it started to back fire an eventually start. This has since happened again, but briefly and by holding the ignition key fully on for a few seconds started the car.

I was told this could be my starter motor? has this happened to anyone else? Ciould it simply be a bad earth? Is the starter motor easy to get to?

[Big_Adam]

Did it just kinda click.

If so then its the starter sticking. Means you got to hit it to make it start. I mean if it is the starter. Take a jumper lead and connecting it along side the earth strap to a good connection then try again. If it fires up fine then new earth strap could be it.

what type of starter do you have by the way? pre-engaged or the other one that i can't remember the name of.

[Baldspeed Racing]

If the starter was to be causing problems it would stick and you would be able to hear it.

It could be a bad earth, I would check all of the conections first. I think the main power connections are a 10mm nut.

To change the starter its whip off your grill, disconnect your battery, take off the power connections, take out the two bolts (ive forgotten the sizes) and job done. Its a 10 min job and nice n easy.

[Jammy]

When the RAC arrived he checked my spark plugs and distributer and said it was all tight. I then tried to start the car and it started to back fire an eventually start. This has since happened again, but briefly and by holding the ignition key fully on for a few seconds started the car.

LMAO! Show how much the RAC know! If absolutely nothing is happening, then its either the battery, or a gap in the charging circuit, or the solenoid. If theres a click when you turn the key then its the starter motor.

[overboost]

Had a similar problem at the weekend, me and the missus went to play some pool came back to the car turned the key... nothing. Got out had a look at the dizzy and coil etc fiddled with some wires, nothing happened.

Left it a couple of minutes but kept turning the key, after a few attempts it started up and has been fine since then (touch wood).

[Neilos]

yeah mate, its a click noise, as if the starter motor isnt receiving a signal or at least is receiving a poo one.


Take the grille off??? Bearing in mind my car is an automatic, i thought the motors were bolted onto the side of the engine at the bottom somewhere? Its got to either be a bad connection or earth!

Why do u hit it? Whats that doing?

I think the motor is ok as when its been starting the car its not been sluggish and poo (which suggests there is nothing wrong with the windings or rotor). Hmm, il get on it

[fikus01]

id be thinking bad engine earth or battery earth!!

[Jammy]

You can test your starter by taking if off the engine, connecting jumper leads from the metal flange that the bolts go through to the negative terminal of a battery, and touching a jumper lead between the positive of the battery and the positive connection on the starter, the cog should spin out. If it doesn't you need a new starter motor.

When disconnecting the lead from the solenoid to the starter, always use two spanners on the connection on the starter to stop the terminal turning, if it does it can easily break the connection within the starter, rendering the starter motor useless.

If you don't know where your starter motor is, I suggest you get a Haynes manual. Looking at your car, with the radiator on your right, the starter motor is near the bottom of the engine, at the front, on your left. Big cylindrical thing, usually black, about 15cm wide with one wire going to the back of it.

[fikus01]

Big cylindrical thing, usually black, about 15cm wide with one wire going to the back of it.

unless its pre-engaged!! when its 2 cylinders on top of each other with lots of wires going to the smaller!!

put power on 1 of them the same way (thru big terminal) and the large spade terminal is the activate!! put power on this and it shud all spring in2 action!

EDIT - sorry he mentions a solenoid!! im obviously blonde today!

Edited by fikus01, 09 November 2006 - 12:41 AM.

[mk=john]

yes, whipping off the starter motor is s simple matter of first removing the battery earth strap and front grill. Once you remove the hot lead from it its just a couple of bolts which hold it on.
I am writing this reply assuming you have an inertia starter?
Once the grill is removed, turn the shaft at the end. It will have a square end which you can turn with a spanner. If the motor has binded on the starter ring, turning the shaft should free it.

Assuming you have checked you battery charging is ok, it could just be an earthing problem, meaning your generator is not effectively charging the battery.

There should be an earthing strap between the cluth cover and inner right wing (on older cars at least). But it wouldnt hurt to add one there anyway as its a great spot to earth the engine.

If there is a strap there and if it looks old, I would recommend just getting a new one as they are very cheap!

[Garagiste]

Why do u hit it? Whats that doing?

It's an alternative to turning the shaft with a spanner to free it if it's stuck on the starter ring - there's not a whole heap of room around there.
You get somebody to turn and hold the key and clout the starter body with a hammer, hey presto it's unstuck. Feels a bit brutal, but it works and if it has started sticking you're looking at a new one anyway.

[mk=john]

Also, many miis suffer from the phenomenon of a sticky starter while attempting to restart a hot engine. reason for this...err...ummmm. But to get over it, in the past i have turned the ignition key with the car in 1st gear. This also sounds brutal, as the car with jump forwards slightly, but this has also worked for me.

I would only use that methods in emergencies though if I were stranded, but the long term fix should be making sure the starter is in good order. I any case, i would definitely add an earthing strap between the clutch cover and inner right wing (if not already fitted).

I recently added one to my Mk1 cooper. Minispares do the earth strp, and it is dead easy to fit. With the grill removed, I then removed the clutch cover retaining bilt which is directly beneath the starter, and replaced the bolt/washer to sandwich one end of the strap.

The hole on the inner wing which I found to use was the one nearest the front of the car. This should be the right size for an mate bolt. After cleaning this hole to bare metal, I then applied vaseline to the area and the cableend to minimize corrosion.

To cut a long story short........make absolutely sure your earthing is good regardless if the starter is in good or bad nick!

[Big_Adam]

Oh and don't try to un-sticky a sticky starter with WD40.

Tis bad. Although I've never know why.

[paulrockliffe]

My car suddenly stopped starting too. It has a fully charged battery, but there's just a very loud clicking noise when I press the starter button. Is this because the starter motor is sticking or because the starter isn't earthed properly?

If it's sticking, should I belt it with a hammer or remove it and re-fit it?

Cheers.

[miniboo]

dodgy sloenoid i think